What members do I need to add to a PowerShell module manifest file in order to export Cmdlets from multiple files?

Question

Currently, I have a number of *.ps1 Cmdlet files, each providing a different function, e.g.:

• Encode-File.ps1
• Decode-File.ps1

Now, I want to convert these into a single module, so I can have their functionality at the ready.

First of all, I guess I will have to edit the above Cmdlet files so they will be providing corresponding Cmdlet functions instead of executing their code immediately.

Next, I would need to add a manifest file (.psd1) to the folder where these files exist.

What would I need to add to the manifest file, so when I write Import-Module Manifest.psd1, all Cmdlet functions will be available to my PowerShell session?

Answer 1

The common solution to this is to load the functions into a nested script module file.

Create a new script module file (*.psm1), and write a simple dot-sourcing harness, like so:

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

$exportedCommands = foreach ($scriptFile in Get-ChildItem $PSScriptRoot -File -Filter *-*.ps1) {
  # dot-source file (loads the function definitions into module scope)
  . $scriptFile.FullName

  # output the function name for export
  $scriptFile.BaseName
}

# Export commands from the nested module
Export-ModuleMember -Function $exportedCommands

Then in your module manifest, specify:

  RootModule = 'moduleName.psm1'

If the scripts are additional scripts designed to work with a binary module, import the script module as a "nested module" instead:

  NestedModules = @('moduleName.psm1')

In order for auto-discovery of commands to work prior to module import, make sure you also explicitly list the exported functions in the manifest:

  FunctionsToExport = @('Encode-File', 'Decode-File')